Friday, June 29, 2012

News articles and links from June 29, 2012


WATER SUPPLY

Letter
From Fresno Bee - Friday, June 29, 2012

Story
From Mariposa Gazette - Thursday, June 28, 2012

Story
From Santa Rosa Press Democrat - Thursday, June 28, 2012

WATER QUALITY

Story
From Chicago Tribune - Friday, June 29, 2012

DELTA

Letter
From Sacramento Bee - Friday, June 29, 2012

Letter
From Modesto Bee - Thursday, June 28, 2012

Blog
By Alex Breitler
From Stockton Record - Thursday, June 28, 2012

Thursday, June 28, 2012

News articles and links from June 28, 2012


WATER SUPPLY

Story
From Redding Record Searchlight - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Editorial
From Riverside Press-Enterprise - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Story
From Ukiah Daily Journal - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Story
From Pleasanton Weekly - Wednesday, June 27, 2012
From SF Appeal - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Story
From Sonora Union Democrat - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

GROUNDWATER

Story
From Western Farm Press - Thursday, June 28, 2012

DELTA

Blog
By Alex Breitler
From esanjoaquin - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

FISHERIES

Column
By Peter Ottesen
From Stockton Record - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

News articles and links from June 27, 2012


Water supply

Commentary
By Deanna Lynn Wulff
From Bilingual Weekly - Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Coalition response...The above commentary is a reflection of the personal nonobjective viewpoints of the writer, which has been demonstrated in article after article. The claim that HR 2578 could impact all Wild and Scenic Rivers is a complete falsehood. It is highly doubtful that such a proposal would have been approved in Congress, which is why the legislation was narrowly written to only affect New Exchequer Dam on the Merced River. This proposal also reverses an unintended encroachment of the Wild and Scenic Rivers designation on the Merced River into already-defined Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) MID boundary upstream of Lake McClure.
 
Factless statements such as "Many water districts lose about 40 percent of their water just sending it down leaking canals or decaying irrigation ditches" is an affront to the efficiency levels already achieved by districts and their committed staff. Such an accusation of 40 percent losses without attribution would never pass a high school journalism class.
 
To further infer that Merced Irrigation District experiences 100,000 acre-feet in water losses is fantasy. MID delivers surface water to its customers and in doing so helps replenish the eastern Merced County aquifer with passive recharge through unlined canals. Farmers and the cities of Livingston, Atwater and Merced use water from the aquifer to grow food and to meet the domestic water needs of people in each of their jurisdictions. 
 
This article serves no purpose other than to spread falsehoods and innuendos in an attempt to stall a sensible project that has bipartisan support in Congress and throughout the region.  

WATER SUPPLY

Blog
By Eric L. Garner
From PublicCEO - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Blog
From LA Times - Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Story
From Merced Sun-Star - Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Story
From Fresno Bee - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Story
From Merced Sun-Star - Tuesday, June 26, 2012
From Modesto Bee - Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Column
By Brian Clark Howard
From National Geographic - Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Radio broadcast
From NPR - Tuesday, June 26, 2012

DELTA

Story
From KHTS-AM - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

FISHERIES

Letter
From Chico Enterprise-Record - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

News articles and links from June 26, 2012


Water supply

Opinion
By Salvatore Salerno
From Modesto Bee - Sunday, June 24, 2012

Coalition response...This author presents an idealistic view of the San Joaquin River Restoration Program in comparison to the reality that encompasses the ongoing efforts. Implementing the Settlement of the 18-year lawsuit involving the Bureau of Reclamation's operation of Friant Dam is a significant undertaking with a complex mix of hard-to-achieve benefits and potential impacts. The Settlement calls for two goals:  restoring 150 miles of the San Joaquin River below Friant Dam (including the reintroduction of salmon) and the recovery of water supplies to Friant contractors as a result of additional water releases from Friant Dam. Unfortunately, the author has mischaracterized the water supply impact to Friant contractors in dry years - it is in those years that giving up 15-20% of their water supplies will be the most difficult to mitigate.  To be successful, future federal and state funding, in addition to the substantial contribution already made by the Friant water contractors, will be necessary to implement the nearly $900 million effort and to mitigate the 200,000 acre-foot average annual water supply impact to Friant water contractors.
 
It is also important to note some of the many challenges to achieving the benefits cited by the author.  Major river improvements, including expanded river channel capacities and rearing habitat, elimination of fish passage impediments, construction of barriers (to prevent straying) and water diversion screening, all in a manner that takes into account impacts to third parties will be needed. 
 
In 2009 when Congress authorized the restoration program, no firm estimate of the costs was provided for the necessary infrastructure. This open-ended approach raised serious concerns about the ability to fully fund the program. Today, questions go unanswered in an attempt to determine future funding sources. Preliminary estimates released last week by the Bureau of Reclamation indicate that depending upon the final determination as to required actions, costs could exceed $1 billion. Those affected by the restoration program are still waiting to learn where this additional funding would come from.
 
It is not as simple as letting more water flow through the San Joaquin River that will result in a return of salmon. The report released last week reveals the program's continued illogical desire that spring-run salmon, an endangered species, will be reintroduced to the river at the end of 2013, this is in spite of the fact that none of the necessary fish passage and bypass channel projects at the Mendota Pool and Sack Dam will be accomplished. Therefore, these salmon will certainly die in the upper reaches of the river which is not in anybody's best interest.

Story
From Fremont Tribune - Saturday, June 23, 2012
From Fresno Bee - Saturday, June 23, 2012
From Modesto Bee - Saturday, June 23, 2012
From North County Times - Saturday, June 23, 2012
From Sacramento Bee - Saturday, June 23, 2012
From SF Chronicle - Saturday, June 23, 2012
From San Diego Union-Tribune - Saturday, June 23, 2012
From SJ Mercury News - Saturday, June 23, 2012

Coalition response...Water used to grow rice provides an enormous benefit to migratory birds and other wildlife on the Pacific flyway. Rice farmers are sometimes unfairly criticized for allegedly wasting water but modern irrigation practices and careful management enable farmers to grow rice on similar amounts of water as other crops grown in the same region. California rice production is one of agriculture's many success stories. It provides bountiful food for people and wildlife-friendly habitat. That's a winning combination.

WATER SUPPLY

Story
From Woodland Daily Democrat - Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Story
From ACWA - Monday, June 25, 2012

Story
From Modesto Bee - Monday, June 25, 2012

Story
From Marysville Appeal-Democrat - Monday, June 25, 2012

Story
From Monterey County Herald - Monday, June 25, 2012

DELTA

Blog
By John Fleck
From Inkstain - Sunday, June 24, 2012

Blog
By John Fleck
From Inkstain - Sunday, June 24, 2012

Monday, June 25, 2012

News articles and links from June 25, 2012


Delta

Opinion
By Jim Newton
From LA Times - Monday, June 25, 2012

Coalition response...No one is advocating the demise of family farms in the Delta. Current efforts to secure California's water future focus on developing a working plan that would improve reliability for 25 million Californians and family farmers who grow safe, healthy and affordable food. The Bay Delta Conservation Plan is still being developed and may include a peripheral canal/tunnel that would provide a more reliable water supply while protecting the fish and plants of the Delta. California's water future hinges on the continuation of these current efforts.

It is important to recognize that San Joaquin Valley farms are very similar to those farms in the Delta...they are owned and operated by families and individuals who are dedicated to their land and the crops they produce. Attempts to characterize the valley farmers as "big farms" as if they are different from others in the state is simply wrong and misleads the public.

WATER SUPPLY

Letter
From Merced Sun-Star - Monday, June 25, 2012

Column
By Dan Walters
From Fresno Bee - Sunday, June 24, 2012
From Merced Sun-Star - Sunday, June 24, 2012
From Sacramento Bee - Sunday, June 25, 2012

Story
From SF Chronicle - Sunday, June 24, 2012

Letter
From Chico Enterprise-Record - Sunday, June 24, 2012

Letter
From Bakersfield Californian - Sunday, June 24, 2012

Commentary
By Paul R. Houser
From Redding Record Searchlight - Sunday, June 24, 2012

Commentary
By Pattick Higgings
From Redding Record Searchlight - Sunday, June 24, 2012

Column
By Sarah Lim
From Merced Sun-Star - Saturday, June 23, 2012

DELTA

Opinion
By Stuart Leavenworth
From Sacramento Bee - Sunday, June 24, 2012

Letter
From Sacramento Bee - Sunday June 24, 2012

Press release
From Rep. McNerney - Friday, June 22, 2012